Sharp-shooting Patriots top Braves

Liberty’s Humenay hits school-record 7 three-pointers

Liberty’s Abby Erickson, right, puts up a shot over Olentangy’s Jessica Nation during the first half of Monday’s OCC showdown in Powell.

Ben Stroup | Gazette

Senior Emma Humenay’s school-record seven three-pointers led the Olentangy Liberty girls basketball team to a convincing 69-48 victory over rival Olentangy in OCC-Buckeye play Monday night in Powell.

Humenay buried five three-pointers in the second half alone and finished with a game-high 27 points to help Liberty snap a five-game losing streak.

“We’ve had a stretch of five games where teams we played were really good,” Liberty coach Sam Krafty said. “The three teams we played in Detroit were all top-11 teams and we come back here and Westerville Central is on a roll and Gahanna is Gahanna. So, the losses haven’t been to slouches.”

Kennedy Wilke, Alexa Fisher, Kennedy Kashmiry and Humenay each held the previous record of three-pointers in a single game with six.

“It’s always been my goal because that’s what I’m known for. So, I always wanted to make that impression and leave that impact,” Humenay said.

Three-pointers haven’t been the problem for the Patriots (6-7, 3-3), who hit 13 as a team in Monday’s win. They’ve averaged 9.7 per game over their last seven games.

“The nights when we’re shooting it we’re pretty good … and the nights when we’re not we’re not so special,” Krafty said. “Give the kids credit, though – they’re battling. As a coach, I couldn’t ask for more.”

Kashmiry has been a bright spot over that span. She has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games and is averaging 15.7 points per game over that stretch.

“She’s been the main leader for our team,” Humenay said. “Her leadership is outstanding and I think it sets the tone. She really brings the energy and it’s infectious to the rest of our team.”

She knocked down three threes and scored 10 points in the first half alone as the Patriots built a 26-16 lead at the break.

“Without her start – I don’t know where that game would have went,” Krafty said.

Sydney Englehart had a couple of put-backs in the final minute to help Liberty close the first half on a 9-0 run.

Kashmiry and Humenay each hit threes to open the third, extending the run to 15-0. Kashmiry hit five triples and finished with 18 points for Liberty.

Jessica Nation had a pair of baskets around buckets by Lauren Biehl and Grace Pennington in a 8-0 Olentangy run to cut the deficit to 32-24 midway through the third.

But, Humenay responded with a three to push the lead back to 11 and Olentangy never got it under 10 again.

“I knew it was a huge game and I had to be on top of my game,” Humenay said. “The last time we played (Olentangy) – I think I was 1-for-10 and I knew that was not how I wanted to go out … especially being a senior.”

“(Liberty was) hungry … there wasn’t a whole lot we could do,” Olentangy coach Mike Daniels said. “(We did) everything we could do to change momentum and we couldn’t do it. We were in their face the whole game. So, hats off to them – they shot lights out and played a well-executed game.”

Next up, Liberty hosts Dublin Scioto in non-league action Wednesday night. Olentangy is off until Friday when it hosts Westerville South. Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Liberty’s Abby Erickson, right, puts up a shot over Olentangy’s Jessica Nation during the first half of Monday’s OCC showdown in Powell.

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2018/01/web1_abby-1.jpgLiberty’s Abby Erickson, right, puts up a shot over Olentangy’s Jessica Nation during the first half of Monday’s OCC showdown in Powell. Ben Stroup | Gazette

Liberty’s Humenay hits school-record 7 three-pointers

By Michael Rich

For the Gazette

Follow Michael Rich on Twitter @mrichnotwealthy or contract him at mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com.